Solar power plants are increasingly being designed and installed in hurricane-prone and otherwise high wind speed locations. The structure supporting PV modules on these plants must sustain significant levels of repeated wind loads. Over time the cycling of wind load accumulates as fatigue load. A study commissioned by GameChange Solar and performed by CPP Wind Engineering Consultants shows that fatigue loading at a site during an example hurricane reached over 8,000 cycles at pressures up to 1,400 Pa.

Current testing and design standards for fatigue loading on single-axis trackers are either insufficient compared to the cycles and pressures determined by CPP or cannot accurately model the complex assembly of purlin, module frame, and module glass. Systems designed in accordance with these standards may fail under real-world loading conditions.

GameChange Solar proposes a novel fatigue loading test procedure, which more accurately reflects pressures, cycle quantities, and loading conditions experienced during long duration wind events. This provides a powerful tool for designing tracker systems and PV modules for the damaging effects of hurricanes.